Winding apparatus and method



March 29; 1966 H. GRUNBAUM 3,243,135

WINDING APPARATUS AND METHOD Filed Jan. 24, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR HEINRICH GRUNBAUM March 29; 1966 H. GRUNBAUM 3,243,135

WINDING APPARATUS AND METHOD Filed Jan. 24, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR HEINRICH GRUNBAUM United States Patent 3,245,135 WINDDIG APPARATUS AND METHOD Heinrich Giiinbaurn, Bollwerkstrasse 18, Binningen CH4102, Basel-Land, Switzerland Filed Jan. 24, 1962, Ser. No. 168,464 Claims priority, application Switzerland, May 29, 1961, 6,131/61 Claims. (Cl. 242-675) The present invention relates to a winding apparatus and method, and more particularly to a winding apparatus in which a long flexible element is alternately wound up on two take-up means by two drive means whose rotary speeds are variable and depend on the load torque.

Winding apparatus is known in which a continuously supplied flexible element or band is Wound up on two take-up means, each of which is driven by an independent drive means. A roll of the flexible element is wound up and completed on one take-up means driven by the first drive means, whereupon the next roll is wound up on the second take-up means driven by the second drive means. Since each roll is wound up from the smallest to the final largest diameter, each drive means must be dimensioned for driving the almost completed rolls whose mass is far greater than the mass of the small rolls formed at the beginning of a winding operation.

It is one object of the present invention to overcome this disadvantage of known winding apparatus and methods, and to provide a winding apparatus and method permitting the use of smaller, less powerful, and consequently less expensive drive means.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a winding apparatus and method in which two drive means are successively operative to wind up a single roll.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a winding apparatus and method in which the first drive means rotates a take-up means through a first transmission at the beginning of the winding operation and as long as the wound up roll is comparatively small, while a second drive means rotates the take-up means during the second part of the operation through another transmission having a different ratio corresponding to the greater mass of the wound up roll during the second part of the winding operation.

Another object of the present invention is to provide two take-up means on which rolls of a flexible element are alternately Wound, and to drive each of the two takeup means successively by two different drive means and transmission means corresponding to the gradually increasing mass of the wound up rolls.

With these objects in view, one method in accordance with the present invention comprises the steps of win ing a flexible element, such as a continuously supplied band, on a reel rotated by a first drive means at a first high speed so that the flexible element forms a roll of gradually increasing diameter and mass on the reel, and rotating the reel by a second drive means at a lower speed when the roll has a predetermined diameter and mass while the diameter and mass of the roll is further increased.

The drive means are load-dependent, so that the first high speed is gradually reduced as the mass of the wound up roll increases. When the reduced high speed corresponds to the lower second speed at which the second drive means is capable of rotating the reel, then the second drive means takes over and rotates the roll until a desired diameter is obtained, while the winding speed is gradually reduced due to the reduction of the speed of the second drive means caused by the increasing mass of the wound up roll.

One embodiment of the winding apparatus of the present invention comprises a take-up means for winding up a flexible element in a roll, first and second independent drive means, which are preferably load-dependent, first ,e CC

and second transmission means having different transmission ratios and being driven by the first and second drive means, respectively, and coupling means for connecting the take-up means at the beginning of the winding operation with the first transmission means and for connecting the take-up means with the second transmission when the wound up roll has a predetermined diameter and mass. The transmission ratios are selected in such a manner that the take-up means rotates at a higher speed at the beginning of the winding operation, and is rotated through the second transmission means at the lower speed when the wound up part of the roll has already a substantial mass. Since the load-dependent drive means run slower as the mass of the roll increases, the higher speed of the first transmission means is reduced when the second transmission means takes over, so that the lower speed of the second transmission means corresponds substantially to the reduced higher speed produced by the first transmission means on the partly wound up roll.

The first drive means has to rotate a smaller mass at a higher speed, which is effected by the first transmission, and a second drive means has to rotate a greater mass through a transmission having a more favorable ratio. Consequently, each drive means has substantially the same load which is far less than the load which would have to be carried if only a single drive means would rotate the take-up means until the roll is completed.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the two drive means successively drive a first output shaft with a. take-up means, and a second output shaft with another take-up means so that the two take-up means can be alternately used for winding up rolls of the flexible element.

In conventional arrangements of this type, each drive means drives one of the take-up means independently, and must be dimensioned to be capable of driving the almost completed heavy roll on their respective take-up means.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a horizontal sectional view illustrating one embodiment of a winding apparatus in accordance with the present invention; and

FIG. 2 is a horizontal sectional view illustrating another embodiment of the invention.

Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to FIG. 1, a continuously supplied flexible element 3, such as a band or web which may be made of paper, plastic, metal foil, textiles and other flexible materials, is to be alternately wound up on a reel, not shown, on a take-up means 4, and on a reel 5:: of a take-up means 5. FIG. 1 shows the band 3 to be wound up on the takeup means 4 while the reel 5a of the take-up means 5 is free. Due to the thickness of the wound up roll on the take-up means 4, the band passes the reel 5a without engaging the same. The take-up means 4 and 5 include shafts which are connected by pairs of meshing gears 20 and 20' to a pair of output shafts 7 and 8 which are tumably mounted in a gear box 6. A first drive shaft 16 is also mounted in gear box 6 and carries a fixed pulley which is connected by aslipping belt 1 to another pulley of a first motor. Drive shaft 16 passes through a hollow drive shaft 17 which is also mounted in gear box 6 and carries a fixed pulley 19 connected by a slipping belt 2 to another pulley driven by a second motor. Belt 1 and pulley 18, and also belt 2 and pulley 19 constitute slip couplings which respond to an increase of the load torque acting on the respective drive shaft so that the rotary speed of the drive shafts 16 and 17 is automatically gradually reduced as the load torque acting thereon increases.

A larger gear 9 is fixed on drive shaft 16, and a smaller gear 11 is fixed on the hollow drive shaft 17. Gear 9 meshes with a pair of identical first gears 10 and 10 which are mounted on shafts 7 and 8 and are freely turnable thereon, while gear 11 meshes with a pair of identical larger second gears 12 and 12 which are also mounted on shafts 7 and 8 and freely rotatable thereon.

Coupling means in the form of two electro-magnetic clutches 15 and 15' are provided. Electro-rnagnetic clutch 15 is shiftable on shaft 7 in axial direction, but cannot turn on shaft 7, and can be energized to either couple the first gear 10, or the second gear 12 to output shaft 7. Electro-magnetic coupling member 15 can be shifted in the same manner to either couple the other first gear 10, or the other second gear 12 with the second output shaft 8.

Gears 9, 10, 10' constitute a first transmission means which is capable of driving the output shafts 7 or 8 at a first speed which is higher than the speed of the output shafts obtained by the second transmission means 11, 12, 12 due to the fact that gears 19, 10' are smaller than gears 12, 12', while gear 9 is larger than gear 11. Consequently the two transmission means have different ratios.

The apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1 operates in the fo llowing-manner: Electro-magnetic coupling member 15 is energized to couple the first gear 10 with output shaft 7 which is driven at a comparatively high speed due to the small transmission ratio of transmission 9, 10. T ake-up means 4 is rotated through gears 20, and the band 3 is wound up in a roll on take-up means 4. As the diameter and the mass of the roll 3a increases, the load on drive shaft 16 increases, and belt 1 slips more and more on pulley 18 so that the speed of the drive shaft 16, and consequently the speed of the take-up means 4 is gradually reduced as the diameter and mass of the wound up roll 3a increases. At a certain predetermined diameter of the roll, electro-magnetic means 15 is energized to couple the second gear 12 with the output shaft 7, so that drive shaft 17 is effective to rotate the take-up means 4 during the second part of the winding operation. Since the transmission ratio between gears 11 and 12 is greater than the transmission ratio between the gears 9 and 10, the output shaft 7, and the take-up means 4 are driven at a lower speed, and the transmission ratio is selected in such a manner that the new lower speed substantially corresponds to the reduced higher speed which was obtained by the first transmission 9, 10. The winding operation proceeds, and as the second part of the roll gradually increases in diameter and mass, belt 2 slips on pulley 19 so that the speed of the take-up means is further gradually reduced until the winding of the roll 3:: on take-up means 4 is completed.

During this winding operation, gears 10' and 12' rotate idly on output shaft 8. Shortly before the final diameter of roll 3a is obtained, electro-magnetic coupling member 15 is energized to couple the other first gear 10' with output shaft 8 so that take-up means starts to rotate at a high speed while take-up means 4 rotates at a lower speed. The band 3 is cut off, and its new end is wound on the reel 5a of the rotating take-up means 5 so that a roll begins to form on take-up means 5.

The electro-magnetic coupling member 15 is deenergized so that gears and 12 run idly on output shaft 7 whereupon the take-up means 4 is stopped in a suitable manner, and the finished roll 3a is removed.

The Winding operation proceeds on take-up means 5 as described for take-up means 4, and the roll is first wound at a higher, but gradually reduced speed by the first drive means 1, 18, 16 through the first transmission means 9, 10' until the mass of the wound up roll on take-up means 5 has been increased to a predetermined extent, whereupon electro-magnetic coupling member 15 is energized to connect the output shaft 8 and take-up means 5 through the second transmission means 11, 12 with the second drive means 2, 19. The second part of the roll on take-up means 5 is now wound at a lower speed which is further gradually reduced due to the slipping of belt 2 on pulley 19.

Before the roll on take-up means 5 is fully completed, electro-magnetic coupling member 15 is energized to couple the first gear 10 with the output shaft 7 so that take-up means 4 rotates, and is ready to be connected with the cut 011 end of the band 3 for the next following winding operation.

During all win-ding operations, all elements rotate in the same direction, and need not be reversed. However, the embodiment of FIG. 1 requires a certain attention by the operator, since the electro-magnetic coupling members 15 and 15 must be reversed and energized at the proper moment when a predetermined diameter and mass of the first part of the roll has been reached, so that the reduced higher initial speed obtained by the first transmission corresponds to the lower speed of the second transmission for the respective mass of the wound up part of the roll.

The second embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2 overcomes this disadvantage and obtains an automatic changeover from a first transmission to a second transmission when the speed of the respective take-up means has dropped to a given value due to the increase of the load torque by the mass of the wound up part of the roll.

Referring now to FIG. 2, first and second drive shafts 163 and 104 are driven by first and second drive motors 101 and 102. Drive motors 132 and 101 are either direct current motors or induction motors of the type whose rotary speed is reduced as the load torque thereon increases. Viewed in the direction of the arrows A, it is assumed that the motor 101 and drive shaft 103 turn in clockwise direction, while motor 102 and drive shaft 104 turn in counterclockwise direction. First and second output shafts 107 and 163 are turnably mounted in the gear box and carry chain wheels 115 and 115 which are respectively connected by chains 116 and 116 to take-up means of the type described with reference to FiG. l, which are not shown in FIG. 2 for the sake of simplicity. The take-up means could, of course, also be mounted on the output shafts 107 and 103, but since these shafts are closely spaced, there would be insufficient room for larger rolls. Chain wheels 115 and 115 could also be replaced by gears 20 and 25, as described with reference to FIG. 1.

Drive shaft 103 carries a fixed drive gear 1199 of great diameter, and drive shaft 104 carries a fixed drive gear 111 of smaller diameter. Gear 109 meshes with a gear 110 which is fixedly connected to a gear 113 for rotation therewith. An overrunning clutch means 21c is disposed between gears 110, 113 and output shaft 108. Gear 113 meshes with a gear 114 having the same diameter and being mounted on the output shaft 107. An overrunning clutch means 21a is disposed between gear 114 and output shaft 107.

Drive shaft 104 carries a fixed drive gear 111 which meshes with a gear 112 fixedly connected to a gear 113. An overrunning clutch means 21b is disposed between gears 112, 113 and output shaft 107. Gear 113' meshes with the corresponding gear 114 on shaft 108. An overrunning clutch means 21d is disposed between gear 114' and outputshaft 108.

Due to the different diameter of gears 111, 112 on one hand, and gears 109 and 110 on the other hand, the first transmission means 109, 110, 113, 114 has a lower transmission ratio than the second transmission means 111, 112, 113, 114'. The overrunning clutches 21a, 21b,

21c, 21d are all constructed and arranged in such a manner as to couple the respective gears to output shafts 107 and 108 when the gears rotate in clockwise direction faster than the respective output shafts 107 and 108.

The winding apparatus illustrated in FIG. 2 operates as follows: The first drive motor 101 is energized, and drive shaft 103 starts to rotate in clockwise direction as viewed in the direction of the arrow A. Gears 110, 113 turn in counter-clockwise direction since gear 109 turns in clockwise direction, and consequently output shaft 108 is not driven. Gear 113 turns gear 114 in clockwise direction, as viewed in the direction of the arrow A, so that the overrunning clutch 21a couples gear 114 to shaft 107 which is still at a standstill. Shaft 107 begins to rotate and drives the first take-up means, not shown, through means 115, 116 so that the diameter and mass of the roll wound up thereon gradually increases. Due to the increase of the mass of the roll, the speed of the first drive means 101 is gradually reduced, and output shaft 107 rotates slower. Since the transmission ratio between gears 109 and 110 is low, the initial speed of the output shaft 107 and of the corresponding first take-up means is high.

The second drive motor 102 is either started at the beginning of the operation together with drive motor 101, or a little later. Drive motor 102 drives through gear 111 the gears 112 and 113', as well as the gear 114. Since the second drive motor 102 rotates in counter-clockwise direction, gear 114' also rotates in counter-clockwise direction, so that the overrunning clutch means 21d is ineffective and cannot turn output shaft 108, which remains at a standstill. Gears 112 and 113 turn in clockwise direction, so that the overrunning clutch means 21b is capable of coupling gears 112, 113 to the first output shaft 107 when the speed of gears 112, 113 exceeds the speed of shaft 107.

Due to the fact that gear 111 is smaller than gear 109 and gear 112 is greater than gear 110, gears 112 and 113' will rotate slower than gear 114 at the beginning of the first part of the winding operation, and consequently slower than the output shaft 107 which is driven by gear 114 through overrunning clutch means 21a.

As explained above, after the mass and diameter of the first part of the roll has reached a certain value, the first drive motor 101 has slowed down, so that output shaft 107 rotates slower, and in a certain moment, output shaft 107 rotates so slow that gears 112 and 113 run faster in clockwise direction than the output shaft 107, and consequently the overrunning clutch means 21b couples gears 112, 113 to the first output shaft 107 so that the second transmission means 111, 112, 113 is now effective to drive the first output shaft 107 under control of the second drive motor 102.

As the load is taken over by the drive motor 102 from drive motor 101, drive motor 101 may be switched off. This condition can be easily recognized by observing an ampere meter in the circuit of motor 101 since the current drops as the load on the motor 101 is substantially reduced. The disconnection of motor 101 may also be automatically carried out under control of the ampere meter.

Shortly before the roll on the first pivot means is completed, drive motor 101 is again started, but is rotated in counter-clockwise direction so that gears 110 and 113 rotate in clockwise direction and drive the second output shaft 108 so that a new roll can be started on the second take-up means which is driven by the chain drive 115, 116. Since gear 114 now rotates in counter-clockwise direction, overrunning clutch 21a is inoperative, shaft 107 is no longer driven, and the finished roll can be removed from the first take-up means after the band has been cut off. The new roll on the second take-up means gradually increases in diameter so that its increasing mass reduces the speed of motor 101 and of the output shaft 108.

Motor 102 is also reversed, and drives gear 114 in clockwise direction so that overrunning clutch means 21d becomes operative to couple gear 114', and thereby motor 102, to the second output shaft 108 when the speed of output shaft 108 is sufficiently reduced due to the slowing down of motor 101 as the mass of the first part of the roll on the second take-up means increases.

It can be individually determined at which diameter of the first part of a wound roll, the drive is transferred from one drive means to the other drive means. If it is desire that the drop of the rotary speed is the same for each of two identical drive means, the changeover from one drive means to the other drive means is effected when the diameter of the partly wound roll is the geometrical mean of the diameter of the empty reel on the take-up means and the diameter of the completed roll. For example, when the initial diameter is millimeters, and the final diameter of the completed roll is 900 millimeters, the change-over is best carried out when the roll reaches a diameter of 300 millimeters. In order to obtain this result, the transmission ratio of the gears 11, v12 and 12' and 111, 11 2 driven by the drive means 2 or 102, respectively, must be three times the transmission ratio between the gear 9, .10 and 10', and 109, 110 which are driven by the drive means 1, or 101, respectively. Generally speaking, the trans-mission ratio must be the square root of the product of the diameter of the finished roll and the diameter of the reel. 7

It is also possible to design the arrangement in such a manner that the drive means 1, or 10 1, is subjected to a greater drop of rotary speed that the drive means 2, or 102, respectively. It must be considered that the winding up from the smallest to the median diameter takes much less time than the winding of the second outer part of the roll, so that a more uniform distribution of the Working time of each drive means can be obtained in this manner. Consequently, the ratio between the trans-mission ratios of the first and second transmissions would have to be greater than the above explained value.

As compared with known methods and apparatus for winding up a flexible element, where each take-up means is driven by an individual drive means until the respective roll is completed, the winding operation is divided int'wo parts in the present invention, and different drive means are operative to wind the first and second parts of each wound up roll. Since the power output is constant during a winding operation, so that the drive means must produce the greatest torque at the lowest rotary speed, the winding range is essential for the dimensioning of the drive means. In the arrangement of the present inven tion, only the square root of the total range is covered by each drive means so that a drive means in the arrangement of the present invention can be much smaller than in the conventional arrangement where the same drive means drives the take-up means until the roll is completed. The power required of a drive means in the arrangement of the present invention is the power of a drive means in a conventional arrangement divided by the square root of the product of the diameter of the completed roll and the empty reel on which the roll is started.

From the above description of preferred embodiments of the present invention it will become apparent that in accordance with the present invention, the flexible element is wound on a reel rotated by a first load-dependent drive means at the first high speed which is gradually reduced while the flexible element forms a roll of gradually increasing diameter and mass, whereupon the reel is rotated by a second load-dependent drive means at a lower speed corresponding to the reduced first speed when the roll has reached a predetermined diameter and mass.

It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together, may also find a useful application in other types of winding arrangement-s differing from the types described above.

While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in a method and apparatus for alternately winding up a long flexible element on two take-up means while each take-up means is successively driven by two load-dependent drive means, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can by applying current knowledge readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention and, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of the following claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A winding apparatus for continually winding up a long flexible element moving at a constant speed, comprising, in combination, a first take-up means for Winding up the flexible element in a roll, and including a first output shaft; a second take-up means for winding up the flexible element and including a second output shaft; first drive means including a first drive shaft; second drive means including a second drive shaft; first transmission means having a first transmission ratio and being driven by said first drive shaft; second transmission means having a second transmission ratio and being driven by said second drive shaft; first coupling means for connecting said first output shaft with said first transmission means so that said first take-up means rotates at a first higher rotary speed, and for connecting said second transmission means with said first output shaft so that said first take-up means is rotated at a lower rotary speed for maintaining the peripheral speed of the wound-up roll equal to said constant speed; and second coupling means for connecting said second output shaft with said first transmission means so that said second take-up means rotates at said first higher rotary speed, and for connecting said second transmission means with said second output shaft so that said second take-up means is rotated at a lower rotary speed for maintaining the peripheral speed of the Wound-up roll equal to said constant speed.

2. A winding apparatus for continually winding up a long flexible element moving at a constant speed, comprising, in combination, a first take-up means for Winding up the flexible element in a roll, and including a first output shaft; a second take-up means for winding up the flexible element and including a second output shaft; first loaddependent drive means including a first drive shaft; second load-dependent drive means including a second drive shaft; first transmission means having a first transmission ratio and being driven by said first drive shaft; second transmission means having a second transmission ratio and being driven by said second drive shaft; first coupling means for connecting said first output shaft With said first transmission means so that said first take-up means rotates at a first higher rotary speed, and for connecting said second transmission means with said first output shaft so that said take-up means is rotated at a lower rotary speed for maintaining the peripheral speed of the wound-up roll equal to said constant speed; and second coupling means for connecting said second output shaft with said first transmission means so that said second take-up means rotates at said first higher rotary speed, and for connecting said second transmission means with said second output shaft so that said second take-up means is rotated at a lower rotary speed for maintaining the peripheral speed of the wound-up roll equal to said constant speed.

3. A Winding apparatus for continually winding up a long flexible element moving at a constant speed, comprising, in combination, a first take-up means for Winding up the flexible element in a roll, and including a first output shaft; a second take-up means for winding up the flexible element and including a second output shaft; first loaddependent drive means including a first drive shaft; second load-dependent drive means including a second drive shaft; first transmission means having a first transmission ratio and being driven by said first drive shaft, said first transmission means including two first gears freely turnable on said first and second output shafts, respectively; second transmission means having a second transmission ratio and being driven by said second drive shaft, said second transmission means including two second gears freely turnable on said first and second output shafts, respectively; first coupling means for connecting said first output shaft with the respective first gear so that said first take-up means rotates at a first higher rotary speed, and for connecting the respective second gear with said first output shaft so that said take-up means is rotated at a lower rotary speed for maintaining the peripheral speed of the wound up roll equal to said constant speed; and second coupling means for connecting said second output shaft with the respective other first gear so that said second take-up means rotates at said first higher rotary speed, and for connecting the respective other second gear with said second output shaft so that said second take-up means is rotated at a lower rotary speed for maintaining the peripheral speed of the Wound-up roll equal to said constant speed.

4. A winding apparatus for continually winding up a long flexible element moving at a constant speed, comprising, in combination, a first take'up means for winding up the flexible element in a roll, and including a first output shaft; 21 second take-up means for winding up the flexible element and including a second output shaft; first load-dependent drive means including a first drive shaft; second load-dependent drive means including a second drive shaft; first transmission means having a first transmission ratio and being riven by said first drive shaft, said first transmission means including two first gears freely turnable on said first and second output shafts, respectively; second transmission means having a second transmission ratio and being driven by said second drive shaft, and second transmission means including two second gears freely turnable on said first and second output shafts, respectively; first coupling means for connecting said first output shaft with the respective first gear so that said first take-up means rotates at a first higher rotary speed, and for connecting the respective second gear with said first output shaft so that said take-up means is rotated at a lower rotary speed for maintaining the peripheral speed of the wound-up roll equal to said constant speed, said first coupling means including a first electro-magnetic coupling member mounted on said first output shaft for axial movement between a first coupling position connecting the respective first gear, and a second coupling position connecting the respective second gear with said first output shaft for rotation therewith; and second coupling means for connecting said econd output shaft with the respective other first gear so that said second take-up means rotates at said first higher rotary speed, and for connecting the respective other second gear with said second output shaft so that said second take-up means is rotated at a lower rotary speed for maintaining the peripheral speed or" the wound-up roll equal to said constant speed, said second coupling means including a second electro-magnetic coupling member mounted on said second output shaft for axial movement between a first coupling position connecting the respective other first gear, and a second coupling position connecting the respective other second gear with said second output shaft for rotation therewith.

5. A winding apparatus for continually winding up a long flexible element moving at a constant speed, comprising, in combination, a first take-up means for winding up the flexible element in a roll, and including a first output shaft; a second take-up means for winding up the flexible element and including a second output shaft; first load-dependent drive means including a first drive shaft; second load dependent drive means including a second drive shaft; first transmission means having a first transmission ratio and being driven by said first drive shaft, said first transmission means including two first gears freely turnable on said first and second output shafts, respectively; second transmission means having a second transmission ratio and being driven by said second drive shaft, said second transmission means in- :cluding two second gears freely turnable on said first and second output shafts, respectively; first coupling means for connecting said first output shaft with the respective first gear so that said first take-up means rotates at a first higher rotary speed, and for connecting the respective second gear with said first output shaft so that said take-up means is rotated at a lower rotary speed for maintaining the peripheral speed of the wound-up roll equal to said constant speed, said first coupling means including a first overrunning clutch on said first output shaft for connecting the respective first gear with said first output shaft and a second overrunning clutch on said first output shaft for connecting the respective second gear with said first output shaft; and second coupling means for connecting said second output shaft with the respective other first gear so that said second take-up means rotates at said first higher rotary speed, and for connecting the respective other second gear with said second output shaft so that said second take-up means is rotated at a lower rotary speed for maintaining the peripheral speed of the Woundup roll equal to said constant speed, said second coupling means including a third overrunning clutch on said second output shaft for connecting the respective other first gear with said second output shaft and a fourth overrunning clutch on said second output shaft for connecting the respective other second gear with said second output shaft.

6. A winding apparatus as set forth in claim 3 wherein the transmission ratio of said first transmission means between said first drive shaft and said first and second output shafts is the same, and wherein the transmission ratio of said second transmission means between said second drive shaft and said first and second output shafts is the same but different from the transmission ratio of said first transmission means.

7. A winding apparatus as set forth in claim 6 wherein said first and second drive means are electric motors whose rotary speeds decrease when the load thereon is increased.

8. A winding apparatus as set forth in claim 7 wherein said electric motors rotate in opposite directions.

9. A winding apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein each drive means includes a slip coupling responsive to a load torque variation.

10. A winding apparatus for continually winding up at a constant speed a long flexible element, comprising, in combination, a first take-up means for winding up the flexible element; a second take-up means for winding up the fiexible element; first rotary drive means adapted to reduce the speed thereof upon a load increase; second rotary drive means adapted to reduce the speed thereof upon a load increase; means for connecting said first drive means with said first take-up means, means for connecting said second drive means with said first take-up means and for simultaneously disconnecting said first drive means from said first take-up means, and means for connecting said first drive means with said second take-up means; and means for connecting said second drive means with said second take-up means and for simultaneously disconnecting said first drive means from said second take-up means whereby to maintain a constant peripheral speed of said first and second take-up means corresponding to a desired constant speed of said elongated flexible element.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,358,654 9/1944 Nordberg 24256.1 2,384,983 9/ 1945 Weiss 24256.1 2,416,540 2/ 1947 Nordberg 242561 2,617,605 11/1952 Weiss 24256.1 2,646,229 7/1953 Clough 24267.4 2,829,843 4/ 1958 Lahti 24267.5 2,916,227 12/ 1959 Bowen 242755 2,920,834 1/1960 Robinson 24256.l 2,980,356 4/1961 Beese et a1. 24256 MARVIN STEIN, Primary Examiner.

LELAND M. MARTIN, Examiner.

G. F. MAUTZ, Assistant Examiner. 

10. A WINDING APPARATUS FOR CONTINUALLY WINDING UP AT A CONSTANT SPEED A LONG FLEXIBLE ELEMENT, COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, A FIRST TAKE-UP MEANS FOR WINDING UP THE FLEXIBLE ELEMENT; A SECOND TAKE-UP MEANS FOR WINDING UP THE FLEXIBLE ELEMENT; FIRST ROTARY DRIVE MEANS ADAPTED TO REDUCE THE SPEED THEREOF UPON A LOAD INCREASE; SECOND ROTARY DRIVE MEANS ADAPTED TO REDUCE THE SPEED THEREOF UPON A LOAD INCREASE; MEANS FOR CONNECTING SAID FIRST DRIVE MEANS WITH SAID FIRST TAKE-UP MEANS, MEANS FOR CONNECTING SAID SECOND DRIVE MEANS WITH SAID FIRST TAKE-UP CONNECTING SAID FIRST DRIVE MEANS WITH SAID SECOND TAKE-UP DRIVE MEANS FROM SAID FIRST TAKE-UP MEANS, AND MEANS FOR CONNECTING SAID FIRST DRIVE MEANS WITH SAID SECOND TAKE-UP MEANS; AND MEANS FOR CONNECTING SAID SECOND DRIVE MEANS WITH SAID SECOND TAKE-UP MEANS AND FOR SIMULTANEOUSLY DISCONNECTING SAID FIRST DRIVE MEANS FROM SAID SECOND TAKE-UP MEANS WHEREBY TO MAINTAIN A CONSTANT PERIPHERAL SPEED OF SAID FIRST AND SECOND TAKE-UP MEANS CORRESPONDING TO A DESIRED CONSTANT SPEED OF SAID ELONGATED FLEXIBLE ELEMENT. 